[nos-bbs] New 2.0j.3 Winlink smtp feature

[Michael E. Fox - N6MEF]

Hi Jay,

I see what you're saying.  

Perhaps I'm not making doing a good job of explaining what I mean.  Let me
try it this way:

1)  The requirement to add an additional prefix to an address that is
already fully qualified, unambiguous, and globally unique just makes no
sense.

2)  That said, if Winlink wants to complicate their user interface, that
doesn't mean we should.

3)  So, JNOS users should always enter the correct, *standard* destination
address, such as user at domain, whether that domain is winlink.org or not.  If
the JNOS sysop configures an SMTP gateway, then sending to
callsign at winlink.org (no prefix) works just fine.  Of course, it would have
to, or else Winlink couldn't accept mail from the rest of the Internet.

4)  The "smtp:" prefix is only required when performing the B2F forwarding
protocol as a client of Winlink.  And that's a configuration option that the
JNOS sysop makes, not the JNOS user.  In fact, the JNOS user may have no
idea which method of forwarding is in place and/or which address formats are
defined in the rewrite file to use this method of forwarding.  It's simply
not a choice the user can make.  It's a sysop forwarding configuration
choice.  And, because the user doesn't necessarily know what choice the
sysop has made (and shouldn't need to), it makes no sense to have the user
specify this prefix.  

5)  So, how do we make it work?  If the JNOS sysop chooses to perform
forwarding with Winlink via the B2F protocol rather than using SMTP, then
the specifics for that should be handled by sysop configuration, not through
a change to the user interface.  My suggestion was to introduce a new
character, (perhaps "/") which, when specified in the forward.bbs
configuration for a forwarding partner, causes JNOS to use the Winlink B2F
protocol, including whatever goofy rules it imposes.  Alternatively, I
suppose the configuration could be accomplished with a parameter in
autoexec.nos -- something like "mbox wl2k <winlinksystem>".  Either way,
this is not a detail that the user should have to worry about and it should
be transparent to the user.

Hopefully, that's a more coherent and cogent statement of what I mean.

Regards,
Michael
N6MEF


  

-----Original Message-----


    The requirement for the SMTP: in the Subject line is a requirement of
the WL2K folks, not us.  It is *their* requirement, and it was added to
their spec just within the last several years.  I *think* they did this
originally to limit spam that was getting into their system (and going out 
over the air).   *Official* senders knew that without the SMTP: prefix, 
their mail would never get on the air.

    See the WL2K specification at:  http://www.winlink.org/B2F

    It sucks, I agree.  But their system is open to passing big-I Internet
email over the air, and they have TONS of whitelisting and spam filtering 
in place in order to make this work for them.   The SMTP: prefix was just 
another way to limit the spam.


    Hope this helps to shed a little more light on the subject,

       --- Jay  WB8TKL